Murder of Paige Birgfeld
| Murder of Paige Birgfeld | |
|---|---|
 Photo of Paige Birgfeld | |
| Location | Grand Junction, Colorado, U.S. |
| Date | June 28, 2007 |
Attack type | Homicide |
| Victim | Paige Birgfeld |
| Perpetrator | Lester Ralph Jones |
| Verdict | Guilty |
| Convictions | Kidnapping First degree murder Felony murder Second-degree murder |
| Sentence | Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole |
On June 28, 2007, Paige Birgfeld, a 34-year-old American woman was reported missing by her 8-year-old daughter in Grand Junction, Colorado. On July 1, 2007, her red Ford Focus car was found on fire in a parking lot, without any trace of Birgfeld. The investigation into her disappearance took an unexpected turn when it was discovered that Birgfeld was living a double life as an escort in a secret business called Models Inc., under the alias "Carrie".[1]
On March 6, 2012, two hikers found the remains of Birgfeld in Delta County. Lester Ralph Jones, one of Birgfeld's clients, was the prime suspect in Birgfeld's disappearance. In December 2016, Jones was found guilty and received a life sentence for the kidnapping, first-degree murder, felony murder, and second-degree murder of Paige Birgfeld.[2]
Her disappearance and murder received much media coverage due to the discovery of Birgfeld's double life.
Background[edit]
Paige Birgfeld was born on April 27, 1973, in Atlanta, Georgia. She married her high school boyfriend, Howard "Ron" Beigler, in 1995. They divorced in 1997 because Beigler did not want children and Birgfeld did. Her parents, Suzanne and Frank Birgfeld, described her as "a loving, devoted, and excellent mother who loves family gatherings."[3][4]
She later married wealthy man Rob Dixon in 1998, with whom she had three children: Jess, Taft, and Kohl. The two had a complicated and volatile relationship, to the point where Birgfeld called 911 after a dispute in 2004. A year later, she accused him of attacking her, leading to him being charged with third-degree assault. In 2006, they divorced, and Dixon moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[2][5]
Disappearance[edit]
On June 28, 2007, Birgfeld's 8-year-old daughter, Jess, went to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office to report her mother missing after she did not return home.
On July 1, around 10 p.m., a 911 call reported what was later identified as Birgfeld's red Ford Focus in flames in an empty parking lot two miles from her house.[6] In Birgfeld's car and on Highway 50, police found personal items, checks, and business cards from a company named Models Inc. Police looked through Birgfeld's computer and cell phone and discovered Models Inc. was an escort business, which Birgfeld managed. There were also websites with Birgfeld's photo of a high-priced escort named Carrie.[1][7]
Discovery of body[edit]
On March 6, 2012, two hikers found skeletal remains in the Wells Gulch area in Delta County, Colorado. Police were able to identify the remains as Paige Birgfeld from dental records.[1] Rubenstein said, "There were some very key evidentiary things that we located, specifically there was duct tape that was around her skull and mandible, that indicates that she was kidnapped."[8]
Investigation[edit]
Rubenstein had several suspects, including Birgfeld's ex-husbands, especially Dixon, but both had alibis. They also had the names of the clients of Models Inc., of which there were more than 60 suspects. Rubinstein's team was able to find the main suspect on the list since that suspect used a track phone. The suspect was 65-year-old man Lester Ralph Jones.[8]
In 2014, they built a case against Jones for the murder of Birgfeld. Jones was put on trial twice, and at the second trial in December 2016, he was found guilty of kidnapping, felony murder, first-degree murder, and second-degree murder of Paige Birgfeld and sentenced to life in prison without parole.[2][8]
Media representation[edit]
Birgfeld's disappearance was profiled in the second episode of Disappeared, "A Mother's Secret", prior to the discovery of her body in March 2012.
In June 2023, the British television show The Killer in My Family aired an episode about Lisa Nance, Jones's former wife, describing the abuse she endured during their marriage. She later testified in the trial.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Paige Birgfeld: Missing Mother Living a Double Life Was Kidnapped & Murdered". Heavy. May 21, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ a b c "After two trials, killer of Colorado mom of three with secret life appeals conviction". ABC News. May 21, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ "The Infamous Murder of Paige Birgfeld". Medium. Aug 30, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ "'Secret Life of Paige Birgfeld': Body of woman missing since 2007 is found". NBC News. March 8, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ "The Secret Life Of Paige Birgfeld". CBS News. July 1, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ "48 Hours: An arrest 7 years in the making". CBS News. September 5, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ "Paige Birgfeld". Chilling Crimes. July 3, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Key information investigators used to find Paige Birgfeld's killer". 9News. October 21, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2023.